Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 44: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

38 When we can’t take it no farther we must leave it.” One of the men in the background anx- iously spoke up, declaring: “We'll start tonight for th’ mountains. We'll leave th’ dod-blamed train right here.” The girl’s eyes were uneasy as she glanced from her father’s set face to the frightened crew. ‘They were all practically Shirley’s creatures. Shirley, too, shifted his facial expression. His yellow eyes glowed evilly as they fell on the girl. “Don’t go out and get killed and leave me here with those men,” the girl whispered to Reason, resting a hand on his arm. “|” “stuttered Reason, completely overwhelmed by the light hand on his arm. Miss June continued whispering— “T’m more scared to be left here than I am of the Indians.” Reason’s eyes widened abnormally as he forced himself to meet her imploring gaze. He swallowed convulsively, timidly patted her hand and managed to mumble: “Ve don’t sabe Injuns. But it’s all right. Everything’s all right. Tl take one drink an’ kill th’ whole tribe.” NOW the ridge began to display signs of furtive life. Occasional glimpses of the enemy were to be caught as they glided from tree to tree or rode back and forth on their ponies at long rifle range. Laying aside his braggadocio, California Joe drew his friend apart from the crowd and muttered: “These fellers ain’t a got a fight in ’em. We got to think up some dodge. Even if we stand ’em off for a bit we can’t git this train loose. Minute th’ wagons stretch out we'll be surrounded an’ wiped out like so many sheep. Wish them reds had small-pox!”’ “Here they come!” teamsters. This because a band of mounted Kiowas “made a sudden sally from the foot of the ridge and pretended to be on the point of charging. — Zt an’ repeat. An’ then twice for bad luck!” growled Joe as he walked back to the badly flustered crew. ‘Shirley, git yer men under th’ wagons an’ tell ’em not to shoot till they’ve got a red squintin’ down th’ inside their guns. * “Laramie, pick four men to stand by th’ mules an’ keep them from walkin’ on AR howled one of the Adventure us. If all ye fellers keep yer heads ‘we'll soon see their backs.”’ But despite this reassuring promise the glance he cast toward the girl was filled with trouble. The men began running to seek cover under the wagons, but none elected to remain with the mules to keep them from milling. Shirley called on some of the men by name to guard the stock, but only one responded, an aged plainsman who had long followed the fortunes of Laramie Pete. “Pretty poor crew, eh?’ commented Natchez as he stood by the head wagon and coolly watched the Indians maneuver on their ponies in hopes of drawing the fire of the train while their comrades on foot stole closer. “No good,” grumbled Joe. “It’s for ye an’ Laramie an’ Shirley to look after th’ stock. Heap up some bales o’ goods for th’ gal to stay behind. We'll have th’ red devils inside th’ wagons first thing we know.” “They’re kickin’ up a big dust,”’ remarked Shirley. The wind was blowing down the ridge and up the trail. Although the ridge was grassed over with a thin growth, small clouds of dust now began to float from the base of the slope and drift toward the wagons. : ‘Watch for th’ men on foot to sneak close behind that dust,”’ bellowed Joe. ‘“They’re creeping toward us and throwing up th’ dirt as they come. Hi! See that feller empty a bag o’ dust? Come on, Tommy; we'll open th’ meat-market.”’ Seizing a rifle from a man who showed small intention of using it infelligently, the trapper crawled under the forward wagon while Laramie Pete and Natchez improvised a shelter for the girl. by his partner, and as they watched the puffs of dust, under cover of which an In- dian would leave a tree and scurry to an- other, or to a boulder, he muttered: ‘“Small-pox! That’s th’ idee. My snake medicine oughter git to workin’ hard.” The mounted Kiowas had been racing down the trail and swerving back to the starting-point, never once coming within fair rifle-sshot. But now that the foot men had taken advanced positions the gallop- ing ponies were not checked, and a dozen voices beneath the wagons yelled— “Here they come!” CORMICLOO© Tom Reason stuck — (C@